We have a new bugfix release of Callipygous for you today which fixes a number of bugs, especially some major ones afflicting Mac users. If you are using gfx_sdl (Mac or Linux) then there are also some improvements to running Custom in a larger window.

Today the latest stable version of the OHRRPGCE is officially released!

It is codenamed callipygous

Many thanks to everybody who has been testing nightly wip builds and testing the release candidate-- and of course, the biggest thanks of all to TMC, who did tons and tons of hard work on this release

The full details about what is new is in http://hamsterrepublic.com/ohrrpgce/whatsnew.txt but some of the highlights are:

* Android port is considered stable (not available in the "Distribute Game" menu yet)
* The map editor works at larger window sizes (simply maximize custom)
* Map editor clone tool has merge/replace modes
* You can increase the number of save slots available from 4 to 32
* Improved import of sprite sets
* Plot strings and slices can be saved in save-games
* You can specify an icon for your game to use when exporting it from the "Distribute Game" menu
* Press F8 while playing to show a debug menu (only if the game allows debug keys)
* You can make battle formations that set a tag when you win, or prevent game-over on death without needing to script it.
* The textbox editor now wraps text as you type
* Semi-experimental feature to change the FPS (works reliably to speed up the frame rate, but all animation speeds get faster too)
* Hero positions can be customized in formations
* Added options to set how large the game's window should be by default
* "Windowed" and "Fullscreen" special menu items (you have to add these manually to old games)

And of course heaps of bugfixes, other improvements and features, and a bunch of new plotscripting commands.

I hate leaving loose ends, and my third take of Evil Dead was my big loose end when it comes to my gaming projects. Aside from dabbling with Doom mods here and there, Evil Dead: Timeline was the first game I ever worked on. This was back in 1999 and I was young, 18 year old, whipper snapper back then who had a passion for two things: horror movies and video games. I was studying film at the time but it was then I realized that my true calling was in making games. So that's when I came across OHRRPGCE and began working on a fan game based on the Evil Dead movies. From that point I made an early beta (released as Evil Dead Weird) and two fleshed out demos (called Evil Dead: Timeline Take 1 and 2).

After releasing ED:T Take 2, I started on making the full game dubbed "Take 3". I got as far as reworking the main map and a few enemies, but then a computer crash later and I lost everything. Burnt by the loss I then moved on from that project to focus on the challenges of a bigger game known as the early 20s.

Six years later, in 2005, once my life started to calm down, I decided to take on ED:T Take 3 again. This time it had been re-titled Tales of the Evil Dead. I reworked a lot of the graphics and had new maps, enemies, and scenarios created. I cut back some on the story elements and focused more on the moment to moment gameplay.This version was shaping up to be a far more polished and well rounded experience than the original Take 3 was.

But then it happened once again. My computer kicked the bucket. The backup I thought I had was missing and the ghost of the game still sits on the hard-drive somewhere buried deep within a dark closet. I never was able to extract that file. The only thing that exists from that version are a few blurry screenshots that I posted here way back then (under my original moniker, AshRaimi)

I buried the game, deeming Evil Dead Take 3 to be cursed. I put it in the past and moved on to new gaming projects.

Cut forward eleven years, I decided to put together my own little blog site of projects I had worked on. While putting it together, I was going back through my earlier games wondering how I would have made those today with more experience under my belt. At first I was just going to clean up some of the problems ED:T Take 2 had with the new Engine while also fixing some of the game's problems, but like the Kandarian Demons of the films chanting "JOIN US" I couldn't resist the temptation... It was time to take on Take 3 one more time.

As they say "Third time's a charm", right?

The New Game:

Rebuilt from the ground up, mostly from scratch, Evil Dead Take 3 is a new game. Only snippets of ideas from the original version remain. The game has a new title, Take on the Evil Dead, and very much plays into that.

The central theme of this game is to be something in the vein of a "Saturday Evening Horror RPG". I wanted to retool some of the design of the original game to go a bit more in line of the movies: less plot heavy, more taking care of random situations. The movies were essentially a live action horror version of Saturday Morning cartoons, so I wanted this game to reflect that.

Story-wise this game is still set in an alternate timeline after the events of Army of Darkness, ignoring the recent TV series and reboot. Ash wakes up back at the cabin, things happen. It's intentionally kept basic much like the films. Don't expect much in the way of character development or dramatic turns in the story. This is being looked at as a pure game play type of game.

The other aspects of the movies I wanted to bring into this game was a feeling of trying to survive at all costs. That's where the new central mechanic of the game came in. The object of this game is to survive until dawn. In the films there was a feeling of escalation. The closer to dawn it got, the harder the evil tried to fight back. So there's a bit of a time limit running throughout the course of the game. As for how long, I haven't quite determined that yet as I'm still working out a lot of the design and haven't done a test run-through yet. It will be short and will allow replay-ability. Also this limitation will greatly help keep the game design tight and myself in check so things don't get too blown out of proportion.

Also I'm trying to experiment with a few other ideas that are a bit unconventional when it comes to RPGs. I will go more into those in a later update.

The original Evil Dead: Timeline was also known to be rather difficult as well. This game will still be tough, but not in the same way as Timeline was. You will probably lose, and more than once. Maybe a lot! I'm hoping it will be something that will push the player to put a notepad in hand and experiment a bit to see what works and what doesn't, and to see what their best route for survival is.

The New Look:

I made Evil Dead: Timeline back when I was 18. It was the first time I really made an attempt at pixel art. At the time I had to reference other game sprites or rework others. Backgrounds were a bit of an unholy mishmash of my stuff and sprites from Ghouls 'n Ghosts. Ash was a reworking of Capcom's Strider. Maptiles were too dark at times, and then there was my weird "big eyed" art style I had going on at that age. Some people here really liked the graphics, but I tend to cringe when I see them. I guess they had their charm. Since then I've kind of developed my own pixel style and started recreating the game's graphics. Keep in mind these shots following are still a work in progress and will more than likely receive a few more tweaks down the road.

So the first thing to change: Ash.

The original Ash sprite was just a reworked Strider sprite with awkward legs and giant, gorilla-like arms. Since I didn't want to keep the "ported" sprites I completely redesigned him with a bit of that Saturday Morning cartoon mentality in mind:

By redesigning him first it allowed me to better disassociate from the previous Takes and make this feel like a new game again.

Only a few graphics from the original remain. The cabin and the tool shed sprites were going to be redesigned but when I looked at the originals I realized that I still very much liked how I handled those. A few color corrections, some slight changes here & there, and I decided to keep them in this version.

Several of the core enemies from the original make a return too but are redesigned as well. Like the pulps for example:

Also since I still had a few blurry images left of the 2005 attempt I thought it would be nice to rework those images and enemies as well:

Ok so enough of the blabber. Here are some shots of the current build. These basically constitute what you might have seen in the previous versions. I want to try to keep all the new stuff in the deck until the game comes out.

What's to come:

The plan is that at the end of each month until the game's release I will trickle out a few more shots and info. Considering that this is a fan game based on a film property I don't want to spend too much time on it, so I hope to have this finished in three to four months. Hopefully if all goes well (knock on wood) then this should release no later than the end of July. Graphics are time consuming part. Once all those are done I should have a better understanding as to how long it will take. If it looks like it will take longer I'll be sure to update on the progress. Oh and before someone asks, I have multiple backups this time so it will take more than a computer crash to lose this version.

Beyond the release I would like to re-purpose some of the assets and detach it from the Evil Dead name so I can expand on some of these ideas in a future RPG. It probably won't be done in OHRRPGCE (sorry James) as there are a lot of things I would like to add that the engine unfortunately isn't able to do. But that will be for a future update, probably another seven years later.

Anyways, it's great to be back in the OHR community making stuff again!

This is not quite the stable release yet, but if we get positive feedback from testing, and nobody encounters any nasty bugs, the official stable release could happen as soon as next week.

Also, for anyone who is not already aware, opening and re-saving your rpg file in a new version of custom will upgrade the file format, and it will no longer be possible to go back and edit it with an older version of custom. Make backups if this worries you (You should be making backups all the time anyway!!!)

For those familiar with Heart of the OHR, feel free to skip down to the rules for a reminder of what was, and a taste of what will be. For those who are uninitiated, please read the following history lesson. Or don’t. Your choice.

A Brief History as Written in 2010:

HotOHR 2010 Thread wrote:

It seems that as times change, interests start moving in new directions, and the things that first captured our hearts and attention about indie-RPG design had since faded into obscurity.

Toward the end of the ‘90s and the early part of this decade [2000s], RPGs were king, and were incidentally, the only thing the OHR was capable of making. And then, as the decade continued, RPGs became less common, less desired, and soon the rate of releases made on the engine went from a sprint to a crawl.

Then, in about 2006 or 2007, the limits of the OHR began to change, and new life formed. Sidescrollers were now not only possible, but easier to make. Puzzle games, menu-based games, and even street fighting games were beginning to surface in droves throughout the course of three years. And during this time the course of the OHR RPG began to fall. RPGs were released on occasion, but the presence of one became rare, and almost surprising. And even then, the likelihood of it being a joke game was high. No, the integrity of the epic vacation gave way to a cheap day-trip, and by 2009 the nature of the RPG had become nearly absent.

[In June 2010], Surlaw and I were discussing the disappointment of creating huge games, which translates to many, many hours of development time (read: three years or more for some games), that people refuse to play because it requires them to fight random battles (that aren’t titillating 100% of the time), or read text (of any length), or spend more than a few hours of game time in order to finish it. Authors who put the level of time and attention that goes into a quality game, just to have it go unplayed because of an unwillingness to read (for example), are highly disheartened, and certain OHR gems have gone unfinished because the author experiences What’s-the-Point? Syndrome.

This, of course, has contributed to the huge decline of RPGs—and especially in the quality RPGs—in our opinion, and that should be shocking when one considers we’re a community focused on an RPG making engine.

Even James Paige once expressed a slight disappointment in the gradual reduction of games that actually use the default features to, you know, make an RPG.

That is what the OHRRPGCE was made for.

Now, this isn’t to knock the surge in alternative gaming styles. I loved Slimes. The games released for the 2009 8-Bit Contest were brilliant. But look at how many good RPGs came out in 2009. Okedoke, and, um….

It’s hard to say whether the modern RPG is dying or just in a slump, but we’d like to see this giant of yesteryear make at least one more stand in the community. So, I am proposing the “Heart of the OHR Contest,” which is a contest, quite simply, about making the best RPGs we can make with the engine that brought us here in the first place.

Rules:

-Must be an RPG. This is a zero rule. What categorizes as an RPG can be left open for debate, but at the end of the day it must be an RPG. In 2010, we saw one game stretch the limit of what we considered acceptable (Do You Want to Be a Hero?), and I would argue Silhouette from 2012 pushed the boundaries, as well. In 2014, we basically bent the rule as far as possible with T4R4D1DDL3. For a complete list of the games that made the cut in 2010, 2012, and 2014, consult the following link:

http://rpg.hamsterrepublic.com/ohrrpgce/Heart_of_the_OHR

-NonRPGs not permitted (See Above).

-Joke games not permitted (though funny ones are okay).

-Special scripting is okay (as long as it doesn't turn the RPG into a nonRPG).

-Game must have at least 30 minutes of playtime with a good chunk of that devoted to story (in other words, 30 minutes without level grinding).

-Updates to previous RPGs permitted.

-Updates to previous RPGs need at least 30 minutes of new content to be eligible. Changing a textbox to an old two-hour game and re-releasing it doesn’t make it eligible.

-If you are posting a rereleased game for the contest, you must provide either a readme (or some document) discussing where the new content starts (if it's a continuation) or what the new content is (if it's integrated into earlier previously released sections), or you must supply a save file that begins the game just before the new content kicks in. If you fail to do this, your game will not be entered into the contest.

Note: I prefer the former since it's clearer what's new and discourages players from beginning your game halfway into the story.

Important Note: Historically, players are really bad about investigating new content and often replay the old stuff and vote on that without ever seeing the new content. This really skews the results at the end of the contest. This is especially true of long games. If you are submitting a rerelease and you care about doing well, please, please, please be abundantly clear about what’s new and give your players every possible incentive to play to the new stuff. This means improving the first 30 minutes of the game if necessary. This means making the whole game as fun and amazing as possible. Don’t turn your players off early or they may never get to the new content. Remember, just because you provide a save point or obvious information about where the new stuff begins and ends doesn’t mean your players will use it. If they end up just voting on the same stuff they played five years ago, your points may not count. Think about the whole game.

-Fan games and parodies discouraged, but not forbidden. Original stories preferred.

New Rule for 2016: As the only exception to the must-be-an-RPG rule, you may alternatively release a game that’s “in the spirit of 1999” and still be eligible for entry. This means that you may emulate the kind of game that was made for the OHR between 1998 and 2000. This rule was made possible by T4R4D1DDL3, so consult that game to see this rule in action.

RPG Release Categories:

In 2010 every entry was lumped into the same category and judged under the same conditions regardless of originality versus the rereleased. In 2012 they were divided into three categories: Original, Rereleased, and OHR Legends. In 2014, they were separate categories, but shared the same vote. We will be continuing this trend in 2016.

Original and Rereleased Games:

Original games are the games that have never been publicly released prior to March 1, 2016. These are the easiest to judge since the ground is fresh. We had eight original entries in 2010, including the Game of the Year winner, Motrya, 13 in 2012, and nine in 2014.

Note: These games just need to come with a Coke and a smile.

Rereleased games have been unleashed on the community before March 1, 2016, and are making a second life appearance in the Heart of the OHR Contest. Any original game that was released for the 2010, 2012, or 2014 contests will automatically default to this category if reentered for 2016. In 2010, we had four rereleased games; in 2012, we had three. In 2014, we had one.

Note: These games must include documents or save files that inform the player where the new content can be found. See the rules above for more information.

OHR Legends:

This special category is reserved for the games that have been submitted as rereleases in previous Heart of the OHR contests and resubmitted this year as “legendary” contestants. There are nine games eligible for Level 1 Legend status and two (Vikings of Midgard and Okedoke) eligible for Level 2 Legend status. In addition to a potential win, these games also get a “level badge.”

Release Dates:

Unlike traditional contests, “Heart of the OHR” will not require a start time or an end time per se. Rather, this will adopt the “release window” technique made popular with Game-a-thon, in that any RPG released within the window is eligible (provided it meets the above standards).

Window begins March 1st and ends July 31sh.

I will allow a two-week grace period for bug-fixing (Note: this grace period is not reserved for adding new content, unless that new content is required to fix a bug or to tie a loose thread). Entries must be ready for voting by August 15th.

All deadlines will expire at 6am EST the following day.

Voting:

Voting will run from August 16 - September 30. That gives you a whole month and a half to play those games! Make it count.

Note that I will not close voting until I have a minimum of 10 votes, so if the deadline comes and goes and I have fewer than that, voting will remain open until the minimum is met. I want all contestants to have a fair playthrough and comment/critique/score for their games.

The way we handle votes will be the same as in the 2014 contest.

For full details on how it was before 2014, consult the following post:

Five-point Average: Any game that falls short of the peak vote target range will receive however many fives it takes to reach the two-thirds margin.

Peak Vote Target Range: Identifies the game with the most number of votes and uses its vote count as the determinate for the contest average.

Two-thirds Vote System: Caps the required voting minimum at two-thirds the value of the peak target. Any game meeting this minimum cap will not receive additional fives to pad its average.

Prizes:

Note: New Prizes for 2016.

Because RPGs are harder to come by these days (especially in contests), I thought it’s only fair to combat the odds with prizes that don’t suck. Therefore, various members of the community have agreed to give special bonuses to entrants and the winner.*

Anyone out there can add to the prize pot if he or she has something to offer, so feel free to help make this into a treasure trove of winnings if you want to, and if you have the resources for it.

Specifically I'd like to see:
-cash prizes
-fan art
-theme song about the winning game(s)
-gifted games
-etc.

You may view talked about prizes or add to the prize pot discussion here:

http://www.slimesalad.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6840

I’ll update the prize list here as new prizes are offered. New prizes can be added until the end of the contest.

Potential community offered prizes include:

-OHR mousepad for winner (courtesy RedMaverickZero).

-An official spoonweaver coffee mug™ and some buttons and magnets to the winner and maybe buttons and magnets to second place Spoonweaver’s personal pick (courtesy Spoonweaver).

-$20 to the first place winner and $5 to the second place winner (courtesy Bob the Hamster)

-Another $20 to the first place winner and $5 to the second place winner (courtesy Willy Elektrix)

-An Amazon gift card or a Steam/GOG/etc. game worth ≤$20 to first prize, ≤$10 to second, and ≤$5 to third. (courtesy Foxley).

-The best Original Sound Track (OST) will win a presentation of its tracks on a recently made Cymascope. (courtesy Matokage). Note: This is a subjective win determined by the prize holder.

-Free coupon for a copy of Superheroes Anonymous: A Modern-day Fantasy, Year Two, ebook version (valued at $4.95), plus one additional priced ebook from my personal bibliography, redeemable at Smashwords, for all entries, plus one additional priced ebook for third and second place winners, and my entire 2015-2016 catalog for the first place winner. (Courtesy Pepsi Ranger). Note: This prize can be redeemed at the end of the year for a greater range of choices.

Note: This list will remain open to new prize additions from now until August 15th. I will update this list as I get new volunteers.

Special Prize for OHR Legends releases:

Any game categorized as an OHR Legends release will receive a special trophy classifying it as such. This is strictly a prestige award, but it will remind future players of the game's longevity. This trophy will receive "levels" each time it's awarded to a specific game. OHR Legends releases should still meet the 30 minutes of additional game time rule to be eligible for the trophy.

Note: Until I get someone to draw the trophy and Mogri to provide a location for it on the game’s dedicated page, this trophy will be in spirit only. I know, lame. We’re working on it!

So, as you can see, it would be crazy not to join and make something for the Heart of the OHR Contest, so take the chance.

*Because prizes are awarded by members of the community, and because community members come and go like the wind, all prizes are subject to change.

Note: Due to a backup from past contests, James Paige will *not* be doing bug bounties this year.

Tips:

Release the best game you’re capable of making. The community doesn’t want to see or play throwaway titles anymore. Do your best to make a quality game. While you shouldn’t be intimidated by this, you still need to be aware that games like Wandering Hamster and Motrya are just as capable of making an appearance during the contest window as any game, so make it your best if you want the winning prizes.

Have fun. Please use this thread to announce your RPG releases starting on March 1st. And I’d appreciate it if this thread were stickied until the end of the year. Thanks.

I will update this thread periodically as new information comes. Good luck, everyone.